Next to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Fast Saga is the biggest collection of macho movie stars in the business. They've got Diesel, Statham, The Rock, Gibson, Russell, and Cena, and now, they're adding Momoa to the mix. Fast X is putting its new star front and center in the marketing, so it's important to know just who Jason Momoa will be portraying in the upcoming film.
Every new entry in the Fast Saga has added a big star or two to the roster. Some are totally new figures, others are deeply tied to the family. Momoa is sort of neither. He's connected to the franchise, but only true fans will have any investment in his character.
Who is Jason Momoa in Fast & Furious?
Jason Momoa will be portraying Dante Reyes, the villain of Fast X. As the new bad guy, Dante is a sadistic showboat who has a great time causing mayhem. He'll be teaming up with Charlize Theron's character Cipher, the villain of the 8th film who was mostly sidelined in the 9th. Dante is after Dominic Toretto and his family in a quest for revenge. Dante is the son of Hernan Reyes, Joaquim de Almeida's villain from Fast 5. Hernan was killed by Dwayne Johnson's character Luke Hobbs in his one and only film appearance. Now, four films and twelve years later, Reyes' son has finally come for vengeance. Villains frequently become allies in this franchise, but a villain motivated by the events of previous films is rare.
For Momoa, this role is seen as a bit of a strange choice. The actor has defined Dante as an example of casting against type. Momoa often portrays hypermasculine characters, so the Fast Saga seems like it would be a perfect home for his usual gimmick. From the trailers, it's clear that Momoa is having a good time playing the bad guy. He's turning in a big performance, even throwing in a bit of androgyny for fun. Hernan Reyes hasn't really affected the franchise much since his death, so tying the new villain to an old one probably won't change things. Momoa could've been an unattached new face for the franchise, but a bit of continuity wouldn't go amiss with longtime fans. Dante Reyes seems set to be one of the most entertaining action villains of the year.
How will Jason Momoa change the Fast & Furious franchise?
With each film, a new villain emerges to test the skills and speed of the family. The thematic note of Momoa's Dante Reyes being directly connected to the villain of Fast Five could be a hint to the direction of Fast X. Both films use the same title gimmick, but the entire franchise has been pretty loose with the English language. Fast Five was the film that changed the Fast Saga forever. With Fast Five, Universal decided to abandon the insular street racing focus of the first four titles. The fourth film in the franchise was a reboot, but its nightmarish financial and critical reception caused a complete change in direction. Universal decided to open the series up into a more expansive series of escalating heists and stunts. Finally, the insufferable car culture elements of the franchise were dead and Fast & Furious could go on as the story of superheroes who happen to enjoy driving fast.
By tying itself to Fast Five, Fast X indicates a new direction for the franchise that will lead seamlessly into its final moments. The eleventh numbered installment of the franchise is set to be its grand finale. If the first phase of the Fast Saga was all about a bunch of illegal street racers and the FBI agent who goes native while infiltrating them, and the second phase covered high-value heists, the third phase could be anything. For most fans, the franchise really starts with Fast Five. With that in mind, Fast X could be setting the tone for the finale with its connection to that seminal film.
Fast X is expected to push the never-ending expansion of stunts and struggles to yet another new level. There will be callbacks, new horizons, and long-awaited clashes. The Fast Saga has grown out of control, but it's set to come to a massive conclusion with its next film. Jason Momoa might look like just another big star added to the massive roster, and he is, but he could also be contributing more than name recognition to the film. Dante Reyes may look like another one-off villain, a new comic book supervillain to match the heroes, but his connection to the rest of the franchise might mean more than it seems. Fans will have to wait and see what Jason Momoa brings to this blockbuster franchise when Fast X races to the big screen on May, 19th.